Blepharoplasty

Blepharoplasty – Eyelid Surgery

Our eyes communicate how we are feeling to the world. Eyelid surgery can restore a more youthful, open appearance to the eye area. Blepharoplasty is the eyelid surgery that rejuvenates your eye area by creating a more youthful appearance around your eyes.

You are unique and your blepharoplasty procedure will address your individual needs and concerns. Eyelid surgery corrects puffiness, sagging skin, wrinkles and aging around the eyes, both in the upper and lower eye area. Blepharoplasty also corrects sagging skin that affects your vision. Eyelid surgery restores a more rejuvenated, youthful appearance to the eye area.

Patients share that they feel more confident in their appearance after this procedure.

Your first step in evaluating if a blepharoplasty procedure is the right choice for you starts with a Consultation with Dr. Woods. Dr. Woods is a surgeon that specializes only in facial surgeries. As a facial plastic surgeon specialist he evaluates your upper eyelid determining the amount of excess skin and fat there.

Additionally, the position of your eyebrow is evaluated. If your brow is lower than it should
be, it can be the primary source of the problem and is addressed separately. If the brow is in satisfactory position, then removing excess skin and fat
is all that is necessary.

Blepharoplasty Techniques

An upper eyelid blepharoplasty alone can be done as an office procedure with a local
anesthetic and oral sedation, if desired. There is very little discomfort with the numbing process when it is administered slowly. Many patients choose this option and find the procedure comfortable and uncomplicated with a short recovery time.

The proposed amount of skin to be removed is marked in a manner that results in
an inconspicuous scar. The scar is positioned in the skin crease above the lashes and into a wrinkle
of a crow’s foot.

The excess skin is removed along with a sliver of underlying muscle, and then the
exposed fat is removed or contoured as needed depending on the your individual
needs and anatomy.

Any bleeding is controlled and the incision is closed with fine, dissolvable stitches
which are usually gone in a week.

Recovery from Your Eyelid Surgery

Recovery from your eyelid surgery depends on the amount of bruising and swelling you have in the
first two to three days. This varies, of course, from one patient to the next.

After your surgery, you can expect to be presentable in about one week. Usually any persistent bruising is easily disguised with makeup.

Risks & Complications with Blepharoplasty

As with any operation, bleeding and infection are the most common problems that
can occur, but they are rare. Dr. Woods minimizes this through sterile technique, antibiotics, meticulous attention to detail. Your role as patient is to adhere to pre- and post-operative instructions to diminish these risks as well.

In this procedure Dr. Woods advises against excessive removal of skin, as it results in an unnatural appearance of the eyes and can cause chronic dry eye syndrome.

Unsightly scars are rare, due to the thinness of the skin, but in some patients it takes several months for the scars to smooth out and blend with the surrounding skin.

Lower Lid Blepharoplasty Procedures

Your Lower Lid Blephapharoplasty Consultation & Procedure Evaluation

Many patients ask, do I need a Lower Lid eyelid surgery as well?

Your consultation with Dr. Woods provides evaluation of the lower eyelid , which then determines the technique best suited to your unique needs.
Dr. Woods considers critical factors such as eyelid tone or strength, the amount of fat in each of the three lower lid compartments, and the condition of the excess skin.

Other factors, such as the size of the cheek bones, position of the cheek fat pads, and the amount of
eye protrusion also affect the ultimate outcome. Each of these factors are evaluated and
considered.

Lower Eyelid Surgery Techniques

There are several different approaches to the lower eyelid. The recommended
procedure is determined by the condition of your skin, the amount of existing fat
protrusion, and the laxity of your eyelid.

If you have excessive bulging of the lower lid, but no significant wrinkling, then a
transconjunctival approach can be utilized. This is where the fat is accessed from the
inner surface of the lid, away from your eye. Reestablishing a natural contour to the
lower lid without any visible incisions on the outside is the desired outcome.

If your circumstance represents an excess of fat and excess wrinkling, then an inside/outside approach is
employed. This combines the transconjunctival technique with either laser
resurfacing of the skin or a skin pinch excisional technique to remove excess lower
lid skin. If you do not have an excess amount of fat bulging, then either laser
resurfacing or a skin pinch technique can be done alone.

Some patients have an excessive amount of skin folds, wrinkles, and muscle folds requiring
a significant amount of removal. In this case, an incision is created immediately beneath the
lash line and along a line in a crow’s foot. Through this incision the skin and muscle is
elevated, exposing the underlying fat. This can then be repositioned or removed as
necessary. The support structures of the eyelid are secured with deep stitches and the
excess skin and muscle is removed and closed with dissolvable stitches.

Dr. Woods works closely with each patient to discuss the unique considerations and desired outcomes. His goal is to create a rejuvenated, natural appearance for patients, one in which you simply look refreshed and younger, without looking “overdone”.

Recovery Expectations from Lower Eyelid Surgery

Recovery time depends primarily on the amount of bruising and swelling you have after the procedure, and which type of operation was performed. Typically,
most patients are presentable after one week. If the laser was used in your procedure, and resulting redness persists, this is covered easily with make-up within one week.

Dr. Woods provides a Recovery Tip Guide to patients, so that they can prepare for their surgery in advance and once they are home to help the healing process and minimize discomfort.

Lower Blepharoplasty Risks and Complications

Dr. Woods and his staff guide you through the surgery process to prepare well and follow post surgical instructions to minimize risks and complications.

While rare, the most common problem associated with lower eyelid surgery is bleeding and infection. This possibility is this is minimized through good technique, antibiotics, and adherence to the surgery care recommendations.

The more serious problems arise from patients with poor eyelid tone who require a subciliary (under the lash line) approach. Because the main support structure of the lower lid (orbicularis oculi muscle) is incised, it becomes weak until healing is complete. This can lead to poor
position of the eyelid or exposure of the eye resulting in excessive dryness and a poor cosmetic result. To help prevent this, the cartilage of the lower lid is suspended in place to maintain its position and provide needed support. Careful consideration regarding the removal of skin,
fat, and muscle is paramount as well.

Incisional scars heal extremely well, but may take some time to acquire the normal color of the surrounding skin. This is true of any
laser resurfacing techniques as well.

Cost of A Blepharoplasty

Woods Facial Plastic Surgery provides comprehensive costs and fee pricing to our patients on an individual basis after their Consultation. The factors that affect the price of your eyelid surgery include the type of procedure that is determined to provide the desired results given your circumstances, the type of anesthesia, where the procedure is performed, techniques, and any additional treatments.

Cosmetic procedures are elective surgeries and are not covered by insurance. Woods Facial Plastic Surgery does not offer financing. There are outside medical financing options intended specifically for elective procedures, including eyelid surgeries.

The best way to determine if you are a good candidate for a blepharoplasty procedure and what type of eyelid surgery is best for you and your desired results is to schedule a consultation with Dr. Woods.